Not Just Handsome
by Eunomia
Summary: Have you ever asked yourself what Hermione Granger thinks about Cedric Diggory? Here is an answer when Harry and Ron complain about him. Will they get together though they are so different? Will Cedric be able to win her over?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters. Joanne K. Rowling owns them all. If I did, a lot of things would have been very different.

Not just handsome

All students at Hogwarts were so excided about the upcoming Triwizard Tournament. Everybody speculated who would become Hogwarts champion, everybody but Hermione Granger.

Hermione did not understand why the whole school was absolutely crazy about the tournament, even Professor McGonagall hardly stopped talking about it in class.

A true Gryffindor would be the right champion to represent the school because he would be brave, responsible and heroic, bla, bla, bla.

Honestly you could think there was nothing else to talk about than that. Just like after the Quidditch World Cup, they could not stop talking about quidditch.

Now Harry, Ron and Hermione were on their way to Hagrid's cabin for Care of Magical Creatures and had the amazing luck to walk exactly behind Ernie MacMillan who was talking to Hannah Abbott about the perfect Hogwarts champion.

"I think the Hogwarts champion should be a Hufflepuff. We never get the attention we really deserve."

"No Hufflepuff has just the slightest chance to become the Hogwarts champion, Ernie."

"I bet Cedric Diggory will become our champion. I at least hope so." Hannah had a dreamy look on her face now and giggled.

"Cedric is so handsome. I hope he does not get hurt. That would ruin his good looks."

As soon as Harry and Ron heard that they groaned. How can two people be so unforgiving?

Just because he beat Gryffindor in some stupid quidditch match they could not stand Cedric.

That had to be something girls did not understand.

Not that she knew him that well, they just talked a little bit before they had to use the portkey and he helped her up after she fell when they reached the campsite, but she felt the sudden urge to defend him.

He had not done anything wrong, had he? Cedric would not hate Harry just because he had caught the snitch. He was way to mature for that.

"Everybody nut Diggory and a Slytherin should be our champion." , Ron said disgusted.

"Honestly, you just say that because he won the quidditch match last year. It is just a game and I think he would make a great champion." Little did Hermione know that Cedric was on his way to the green house so that he was right behind them, with a goofy smile on his face.

Who would have thought that she would defend him?

"You just like him because he is handsome."

"I do not like people because they're handsome", she said, her angry voice getting louder with every word. "that's your job already, Ron. And for your information, he is not just handsome and captain of the quidditch team, he also is a prefect, has excellent grades and he is very nice and interesting. You are both so narrow-minded idiots."

They both looked at her dumbfounded, when she turned around and ran straight into Cedric Diggory. She hit him so hard that they both fell on the ground, Hermione flat on top.

In the moment she realized who it was under her, she just wanted to vanish. Has he heard everything she had said? Could life be any more embarrassing than this very moment?

Hey, do you want me to continue this? Please, please, please review. Even when your anonymous.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters. Joanne K. Rowling owns them all. If I did, a lot of things would have been very different.

Not just handsome

Chapter 2

Hermione was still lying on top of Cedric on the ground and did not have the slightest idea what she was supposed to do. Usually she did not walk around landing on top of boys.

That was a very bad situation for an insecure teenager like her.

She had to get up, of course, but for some reason she did not want to. He really would make a great mattress, not soft, but not too hard, either.

She also knew that she would have a lot of explaining to do when she got up and she was anything but ready to face Cedric.

Had he heard everything she had said? He probably thought that she had a huge crush on him. Well, now was the perfect time to admit that she indeed had a crush on him. But was there one girl at this school who had no crush on Cedric? He was perfect, handsome, athletic, smart, charismatic and smart.

But she should not start hoping he would fall in love with her this very moment like in all these muggle movies she watched at home. Movies in which the loser got the beauty queen and the nerdy girl got the most popular girl at school, because he realized that only matters what is in the person and not the outer appearance. Then they lived happily ever after with two and a half perfect children, a perfect golden retriever and a perfect house with a white picket fence. She was too mature and realistic to believe in fairytales. If she had not fallen on top of him he would not have given her a second glance.

Hermione knew that she was not pretty with her horribly bushy hair and her too long front teeth. She never cared about how she looked because she knew it was not important. There were more important things to think about than her hair like education and other people's feelings.

Why should he want to be her when he could have Cho Chang? Every boy liked her, even Harry. She had perfect hair, a perfect smile, a perfect styling, just like Cedric. They were a match made in heaven. Hermione could already see their perfect children in her inner eye.

She was thinking so hard about all these things that she did not even notice that she had been lying on top of Cedric for three or more minutes with her eyes closed. Cedric started getting a little worried. Maybe she had a concussion or was unconscious.

"Granger, Hermione, are you alright?"

He put his arms around her waist so he could turn her onto her back, but then she suddenly opened her eyes and blushed even deeper if that was even possible. Then she got up so quickly, that she lost her balance and fell onto her bottom. Ron looked rather angry while Harry was almost dying from laughter. At least somebody was having fun at her expense.

Cedric got up quickly and helped her up like at the quidditch world cup. It was like his hand was burning and Hermione had the feeling and let go of his hand as soon as she possibly could. That gave him the impression like it was disgusting for her to touch him or maybe she was just as surprised as he was.

He never had such feeling before in his entire life. His hand was still tingling.

This was really something he should seriously think about. Later, when he was alone.

That scene made Ron look even angrier than before. Did they have to stare at each other the whole day? He did not like this look Cedric gave Hermione one bit. Because they were friends. Not because he was jealous or something. And he really did not have the urge to break Cedric nose because he had put his arms around he waist, he just wanted to protect her, like an older brother.

Meanwhile Hermione was having other problems. She was busy trying to find something to say, but her brain was not working properly.

"You know my name.", was all she could say which made Harry laugh so hard that he got a hiccough like a little boy. Cedric shot him a quick glance to shut him up, but he had his eyes closed so he could not see it.

"Why shouldn't I know your name? We talked on the quidditch world cup, remember?", he answered smiling.

"I, ah, I know." Suddenly he held two fingers in front of her face.

"How many?"

"Excuse me?"

"How many finger?"

"Why?"

"Because you look a little confused. How many?"

"Two. I am so sorry that I knocked you down. Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine. You don't have to apologize, it was an accident. Hey Harry, why don't you and Ron go to class already? I don't think you want to let Hagrid wait for you." Harry turned around, but Ron still stood there looking like a fish without water.

"What about Hermione?"

"I think I should get her to the hospital wing. She still looks a little confused."

"Come on, Ron." Harry had to pull him away but he still turned around to see what they were doing.

"Did I already mention how incredibly sorry I am. I'm so, so, so sorry."

"Yes, you did. Did I already mention that you should stop apologizing?"

"I guess." She was still so incredibly embarrassed by the whole situation. " Mmh, I think you can go to class now, I don't have to go to the hospital wing."

"I know you don't, I just wanted to talk to you alone." He smiled and Hermione could swear she forgot her surname.

Hey, thanks to all who reviewed. You all convinced me to keep writing this. I hope you keep reviewing because that motivates me to update faster and I really want to know what you think about this. So, please review even if you are anonymous. Thank you.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters. Joanne K. Rowling owns them all. If I did, a lot of things would have been very different.

Not just handsome

Chapter 3

What could Cedric want to talk to her about? He must have heard everything she had said and now he wanted to make fun of her. At least there were no more witnesses to laugh about her misery like Harry had before.

He sure was a great friend. Maybe she should laugh once when he starts making a fool out of himself in front of Cho Chang. Once he even drooled, but I was nice and did not laugh about that. Honestly, boys could be so insensitive idiots. That deserved punishment.

_I will not help him when he needs help with his potions homework for a week. No, I cannot do that without me he would be lost. I won't talk to him for two days. No, that would be more of a present, than a punishment. I got it, I won't stop talking about school or homework for a whole week. That should do it. He'll beg me to stop at dinner._

"Hermione, are you still there?" It looked like she was in a different dimension. "What are you thinking about that could possibly take you that ling? McGonagall praises you the whole time in class for being the brightest witch she had ever met in her entire life."

Hermione blushed again. Something about this boy kept her blushing all the time. He smiled at her and she had the feeling that her knees were made out of jelly. It was about time to start talking before he thought she was absolutely crazy.

"How are you?" Great, this was the best she could come up with? Now he really had to think that she was crazy. Though he did not show that he was thinking that, he was still smiling.

Hermione loved his smile.

"Well, there is this girl, who just ran into me and then we both fell down. Now I try to have a conversation with her, but she seems to be lost in her train of thought."

"Maybe you should tell this girl what you wanted to talk about."

"Maybe I should. Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for? For almost killing and squishing you?"

Cedric chuckled. She loved his chuckle as well. "You did not almost kill me, you're light as a feather. I wanted to thank you for defending me earlier, not a lot of people would have done that."

"I just said the truth." She mumbled, she could not blush anymore, it became a state for eternity.

"Do you really think all these things about me?"

"What things?" Hopefully he did not remember everything.

"That I am nice, interesting, smart, captain of the quidditch team, prefect and that I have excellent grades." He at least left out the handsome.

"Oh, and handsome." Now she was speechless and Cedric knew that, too.

"Well, you do not have to answer my question today. We should both go to class. Oh, I think you're rather pretty myself." With that he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, which took him a lot of courage and, turned around and walked to class.

Hermione still stood there for another five minutes with her hand on her burning cheek, actually considering skipping this class. Then she went to class, but she was not able to formulate one clear thought in her mind.

All she could think about was Cedric.

Hey, thanks to all who reviewed. I hope you keep reviewing because that motivates me to update faster and I really want to know what you think about this. And what I wanted to add, you are all so great. So, please review even if you are anonymous. Thank you.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters. Joanne K. Rowling owns them all. If I did, a lot of things would have been very different.

Not just handsome

Chapter 4

The day went by in a blur and Cedric hardly paid attention in class. All of his friends tried to talk to him why he had been late to class, but Cedric did not even try to listen to them. He needed a little time alone to think about things. He was just so confused.

After class he did not go to dinner because he went straight to the Hufflepuff common room and then to hid dormitory. There were so many things he had to think about.

First he had to think about the Triwizard Tournament. Should he participate in it? His father wanted him to and so did his friends. He was just not sure if he was ready for that, the Triwizard Tournament had been very dangerous in the past. He knew he was smart, but was he smart enough? Was he the right person to represent the school, to represent Hogwarts.

As if this was not enough, now he also had girl problems.

Hermione Granger. Since he had seen her at the quidditch world cup with the Weasleys he could not get her out of his head. She was so cute, smart and interesting. And when had helped her up, his hand had tingled the same way it had today.

Though their conversation had been a lot different, today she hardly said anything, but that was because she was so embarrassed by what happened.

**Flashback:**

"Hey, I'm Cedric." He said smiling. He rather wanted to make conversation with her than with the others. They all glared at him like he had stolen their cookies or something.

She smiled back. "Hi, I'm Hermione Granger."

"I'd say your friends are anything but excited to see me." She turned around to take a look at them herself. Could they really still be angry? Boys!

"Just ignore them, they are still mad that you caught the snitch last year."

"I really tried to get a rematch." He looked so cute and desperate saying that.

"I know you did, but there was no reason for it. You caught it and Harry fell off his broom. You won fair. Anyway it doesn't matter."

"Are you looking forward to the match?"

"Well, I'm not really interested in Quidditch, but I think it is interesting to be a such an event once."

Ginny screamed: "Hermione, you coming, it's almost time?" Did she really have to leave already. He would have liked to talk to her a little longer than that.

"Maybe we'll see around." She smiled at him. His heart made a huge jump in his chest. He realized that she had a very nice smile. Her front teeth were a little to long, but he thought it was charming.

He smiled back. "I bet we will."

Then Hermione turned around to join Ginny at the boot and he joined his father as well.

**End of Flashback**

After that he had to think about her the whole time. And she really thought that he could not remember her. The problem was that he remembered the little cute fourth year too well.

Maybe he should talk to one of his friends about it because he seriously needed advice.

This was the perfectly wrong timing to meet somebody who made his hands tingle and his heartbeat speed up until he thought it was trying to jump out of chest. He had had a date with Cho Chang two weeks ago and was seeing her regularly. All his mates expected him to ask her to be his girlfriend any day now.

But would it be fair to go out with a girl when he had to think about somebody else? No, it would not be fair at all. She deserved better. Probably he should not have asked her out in the first place, Granger had already been on his mind then.

But maybe she really thought all these things about, maybe she liked him back. Probably she felt the same way, then it would be a waste not to try.

He had to talk to Scott.

A/N:Hey, thanks to all who reviewed. I hope you keep reviewing because that motivates me to update faster and I really want to know what you think about this. And what I wanted to add, you are all so great. So, please review even if you are anonymous. Thank you.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters. Joanne K. Rowling owns them all. If I did, a lot of things would have been very different.

**Not just handsome**

**Chapter 5**

Her plan just did not work out and it was all Cedric's fault, she could hardly stop thinking about him. That also meant that she could not think about school and homework, so she could not talk about until Harry begged her to stop. When did she become the type of girl who was not even bale to remember her own name because of good looking some boy was around?

And why did he have to kiss her on the cheek? Was not Cho Chang his girlfriend? What would Cedric think about her, what could he possibly like about her? She was a plain ugly know-it-all and he was the best looking boy at this school. Wasn't it difficult enough to be a teenage girl wit two boys as best friends? Now she had a serious problem and nobody to talk to. Though would it help to talk to somebody about it? Harry would laugh about it and Ron would get angry for some stupid reason she did not understand. Maybe…

"Ginny, do you have a moment?" Ginny was sitting in the Gryffindor common room with some other students of her year. Hermione had never seen them before, though she had to admit that there were more important things than to know all people at school. Ginny looked up, obviously surprised, she had never seen Hermione that excited in her whole life.

"Sure." But she did not make the slightest attempt to move.

"In private?" Ginny got up and followed Hermione to her dormitory where she sat down on her poster bed while Hermione started pacing around the room. Luckily nobody else was upstairs and she knew that the would not come for quite some time. Like this she could talk to Ginny in private without Parvati's and Lavender's giggles.

"Hermione, are you planning on saying something today, because I still have a lot of homework to do?"

"I'vegotacrushonCedric." Hermione said extremely quickly she thought Ginny had not understood her.

"Oh my god, you've got a crush on Cedric. That's so great. I knew it!" She exclaimed jumping up and down on the bed like a four year old. Hermione was shocked.

"I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!"

"What did you know?"

"I knew that even Hermione Granger was not able to resist Cedric Diggory and I knew that you had a crush on him."

"Really? I just figured it out myself."

"Oh, come on. I knew it at the world cup already. The way you talked to him, the way you looked at him, the way you flipped your hair back. It was so obvious." Had she really been that obvious? Did he know? Had she made a complete fool out of herself?

"What are you thinking about?" She noticed how nervous her friend became. So Hermione told her everything that had happened today, which made Ginny jump up and down on the bed again.

"What?"

"He likes you too!"

"How do you draw this conclusion?"

"Well, he did react really cute and he gave you a peck on the cheek. He would never have done that just to bug you. Anyway he stared at you after you talked at the world cup. He looked so disappointed when I dragged you away."

"Hey, I never asked you why you dragged me away? We were having a really nice conversation in which I did not make a complete fool out of myself."

"I know, I wanted to talk to you about Diggory but he kept staring at you like he got struck by lightning."

"You know what? It does not matter because I just want to get rid of it."

"To get rid of what?" Hermione sure was a confusing person.

"The crush."

"Hermione you cannot simply get rid of a crush. We are talking about feelings here."

"Then, what am I supposed to do?"

"Talk to him, go out with him, just go for it. There had been a lot of signals."

"Are you crazy? So I can embarrass myself again."

"You talked to him before."

"I know, but by now my brain refuses to work when I see him."

"Welcome to the disease all of us suffer from: boys. Think about what I told you. Good night!" Hermione lay down on her bed. There had to be books about this, she seriously needed more help than a thirteen year old could give her.

A/N:Hey, thanks to all who reviewed. I hope you keep reviewing because that motivates me to update faster and I really want to know what you think about this. And what I wanted to add, you are all so great. So, please review even if you are anonymous. Thank you.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters. Joanne K. Rowling owns them all. If I did, a lot of things would have been very different.

**Not**** just handsome**

**Chapter 6**

"Scott, do you have a moment for me please?" Cedric asked his best friend in the common room.

"Sure, what do you want to talk about?" Everybody was staring at them, Hufflepuff really was the loyal and not the nosey house.

"Could we talk in our dormitory?"

They went to their dormitory very fast, like a troll was behind them. Or at least Scott got the impression, because he had to run to keep track with Cedric.

"What do you want to talk about? The tournament?" Again, even his best friend just wanted to talk about the tournament. Was there no different topic at this school anymore?

"Actually, I wanted to talk about girls, I need some pieces of advice."

"You need advice about girls? Seriously, I never thought that would ever happen. What a glorious day, Cedric Diggory, every girls' dream, needs my advice. This…"

"Could you please stop fooling around?"

"Sorry. What's wrong with Cho?"

"Did I ever say that I wanted to talk about Cho?"

"Wow, Cedric, I never thought you'd be the type of guy that cheated on a girl!" That really shocked his friend. Never could Cedric do that, he was too decent and nice.

"I'm not cheating on anybody:" Now Cedric got frustrated.

"But Cho is your girlfriend and you want to talk about a different girl. For me that's cheating."

"I've never asked her to be my girlfriend so I think I can think and talk about a different girl." Hopefully Scott understood that by now because he had a serious problem and they were discussing him cheating on Cho. Maybe Cho thought she was his girlfriend? Great, he had to talk to her as well. What kind of a conversation would that be?

**Imagined conversation**

"Hey Cho, can we talk?"

"Sure Cedric, we can always talk. I'm your girlfriend, I'd be happy to listen to you any time.

What are we doing on Saturday?"

"You know, this was what I wanted to talk about."

"Really? Okay, there is no Hogsmeade weekend so I thought we could either go to the library to study or spend the day by the lake."

"Mmh, Cho…"

"Yeah, I know, we should go to the lake. It's going to be winter soon and…"

"No, Cho, stop! That was not what I wanted to talk to you about."

"But you just said…"

"You didn't listen to me for one second. You're not my girlfriend!"

"What are you talking about, silly? Of course I am!"

"No, you're not. I like somebody else."

"What? So you've been playing with me though you like somebody else? You're the worst person I have ever met! We're through!" Then she stormed with tears in her eyes.

**End of conversation**

"Cedric? Hey, are you still there?" Scott looked really worried. Though they were not even together, Cho broke up with him in his imagination. Would it really be like this? Would it hurt her that much?

"Cedric, who did you want to talk about?"

"Well, I met this girl in the summer at the quidditch world cup and now I can't stop thinking about her."

Scott sat down on the bed . "And that girl is better than Cho?2

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that Cho Chang is the prettiest girl at this school and she is athletic and smart. What else do you want?"

"Don't you think there are more important things than looks? I can't get her out of my head and every time I meet her my heart rate increases and each time I touch her, my hand feels like it's on fire."

"Well, if that is how you feel, what do you need to talk about?"

"It's not that easy. Do I have to talk to Cho about this?" He thought back to the conversation he imagined and groaned. "How shall I ask her out?"

"I don't think you should talk to Cho about it but I bet you want to do the right thing and tell. Be prepared for a dramatic scene, girls can be very sensitive. Then just ask her out. Who is it anyway?"

"Hermione Granger." He said blushing, not because he was embarrassed of her, but because he admitted his feelings for the first time out loud.

"Harry Potter's best friend? Seriously?" Scott wanted to laugh but he knew as Cedric's best friend he could not do that.

"Yes, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter's best friend. Do you think she is his girlfriend, they are always together? Anyway, let me tell you what happened today." So Cedric told him about everything.

"Ced, she obviously likes you. But you have to make the next move."

"So you really think I should try?"

"I think you have to do what makes you happy. So…"

A/N:Hey, thanks to all who reviewed. I do not think I can tell you often enough how great all of you are. I hope you keep reviewing because that motivates me to update faster and I really want to know what you think about this. So, please review even if you are anonymous. Thank you.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of these characters. If I did my name was J.K. Rowling and I would have so much money that I would live in Hawai by now. Unfortunately I do not.

**Not just handsome**

**Chapter 7**

Life was not fair. She had been looking everywhere in this library for book on how to lose a crush. She could not find one single that helped her. Of course she found a lot of books about love but none of them helped her. She found books on how to brow love potions, which were against school rules, and a book on how to receive a boy's attention in five simple steps. A really funny book was about frog princes and where to find them. Could women really be that desperate to run through the whole Amazonas to find one if these mentioned frogs? Like these frogs existed at all. Hermione could not imagine that. She was still sitting in front of a big pile of books but lost all hope to find a helping one hours ago.

"Boys like girls who like to experiment. Try green hair, that will get his attention. I bet it does, but not because we like experimental girls." Cedric read over her shoulder.

She slammed the book shut and jumped up, forgetting that he was right behind her. I process she hit the back of her head against his nose. Couldn't they once meet without her hurting him in any way? Even Cedric thought that by now, when they dated she could cause his death.

"Oh my god, are you okay? I'm so terribly sorry. Does it bleed? Let me look at it!" He took his hand of his nose. Luckily it did not bleed. If this relationship between him and Hermione started one day he would probably need a protection for his whole body.

"It's okay. At least you talk to me when I get hurt." He smiled.

"Well, it's usually me hurting you." She answered blushing.

"I know, I just wish you would stop apologizing and say something else." Hermione did not understand what he was talking about.

"At the quidditch world cup we've talked properly until your red haired friend pulled you away. That was really nice. But since then you only reason you talk to me is because you hurt me."

"you want to talk to me?" Did she damage his brain? Did he know to whom he was talking to? Maybe she should take him to the hospital wing.

"Is it such a surprise that I want to talk to you?" Hermione was even more complicated than any other girl.

He had talked to Cho half an hour ago and it had been nothing like in his imagination. She just told him to talk to Hermione and to ask her out if this was the way he felt. In two weeks was another trip to Hogsmeade and he should take her there. Then she wished him good luck and thanked him for being honest. He had been prepared for a dramatic scene in front of all people, but she was nice and understanding. Why could Hermione not be so uncomplicated? But he should ask her out now.

"Of course it's a surprise you want to talk to me. I'm Hermione Granger. The only reason people know me for is Harry."

"You don't give yourself enough credit. Everybody knows you not just because of Harry Potter. Anyway, is Potter your Boyfriend?" He just had to ask her. If Harry was her boyfriend he would have to wait until they broke up. He did not want to take her away from him.

Hermione could not help but laugh. Harry, her boyfriend? He was like a brother to her. She always had to help him out of trouble. Being his girlfriend would be way too exhausting, he was like a magnet for trouble.

And she was always in trouble because she always had to help him. This was the funniest thing she had ever heard in her entire life. Though Cedric did not understand her reaction, he hoped it meant that he was not her boyfriend and that he could just go for it.

He had to admit that he did not want to wait, he wanted to be with her now.

"May I ask what is that funny?" She tried to pull herself together, but she could hardly stop laughing. After another two minutes she finally made it, her face was red from laughing so hard and she was out of breath. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Usually she was serious and reserved, but now she looked happy.

"Harry, my boyfriend, that's the funniest thing I've ever heard."

"Really? Why?"

"He's like a brother to me." His heart made a huge jump. Though probably now he had to worry about Harry being the protective brother. But he thought he could handle that.

"May I ask you something?" Finally she wanted to talk to him.

"Sure." He noticed a lot of people staring a them , Scott among them. It was so hard to get a little privacy in this castle.

"How about we go for a little walk outside?" Should she go outside with him? What if she pushed him into the lake or into some human eating plant? After what had happened today she thought it was very possible.

Like he was reading her mind he told. "Don't worry, I'll be watching where both of us go." Then he smiled his most beautiful smile. Could anybody resist that smile? She did not think so.

"Okay,"

A/N: I'm sorry it took me so long to update. Thanks to all of you who reviewed. Please tell me what you think about this chapter, because I don't think it's good. Please review.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters otherwise I'd be a really rich person. Unfortunately I'm not.

**Not just handsome**

**Chapter 8**

Finally Cedric was talking to her and she even agreed on going for a walk with him outside. In Hogwarts it was difficult to find just a little privacy. The grounds were really quiet now, just a couple of students were there enjoying the still nice October weather. But they stared at them again. Did they not have their own lives and problems? Was it that interesting that he tried to talk to Hermione? Cedric hated all this attention, he wanted to be a normal boy who could have a normal chat with the girl he liked without a thousand of people staring at him.

It was hard enough to get to know Hermione and he knew that they made her nervous. So Cedric decided to lead her away from all these people and headed for the lake.

Little did he know that the lake was Hermione's nightmare because she feared pushing him into the lake.

"You had a question?"

"Why do you want to talk to me?" Well, big confession time. But should he tell her already? She would probably run away, screaming. He came to the conclusion that not telling was the better strategy. Maybe she could help him with the tournament problem?

"The other students come this Friday, then I have to decide if I want to participate in the tournament."

"You still don't know if you want to take part in it?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't think I'm ready for it."

"Why don't you think that? Everybody thinks you're the right person for this job."

"I know, that's the whole problem. It's a lot of pressure and I don't want to disappoint all these people if I lose the tournament."

"I don't think you can do more than try your best. No one can be disappointed if you tried, that would not be fair."

"Really?"

"If you studied hard for a test and got a bad mark would people be disappointed?"

"No."

"See, same difference. But you have to make a decision by yourself; don't make a decision just because somebody told you to. The tournament is going to be very dangerous."

She sounded really worried so he got his hopes up. Wasn't that a sign that she liked him at least a little bit? At least he finally made a decision about the tournament.

"Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?" She was confused.

"You helped me making a decision about the tournament."

"Was that why you wanted to talk to me?"

"No, actually it wasn't." They were standing exactly at the lake. "I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go with me to the next Hogsmeade trip."

"Why?" What was he trying to tell her?

"Well, I think I really like you so I wanted to ask you out."

"You wanted to ask me out?" That girl could ask questions.

"Yes."

"Because you like me?" He blushed. She hardly had ever seen a boy blush.

"Exactly."

"Are you trying to make fun of me?"

Now he did not understand anything. "Excuse me?"

"Or is it some kind of bet?"

"I really don't under…"

"I'm just supposed to believe that you like me and want to go out with me? Me? I hope you had a good laugh. I would never have thought you would do something like that." She turned around and stormed away. She noticed that there had been something at her arm but she turned around so fast and furiously that she ignored the fact that she pushed him into the lake.

A/N: Hey, I'm sorry it took me so long to update. I first wanted to thank all of you who reviewed for the last chapter. You're so great. I would really like to hear what you think about this chapter because I don't like where the end has gone. So please review even if you're anonymous.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter Characters. Do you also get that sick of the disclaimers as I do?

Chapter 9

By now the champions for the Triwizard tournament had been chosen: Fleur Delacour, Viktor Krum, Harry and Cedric himself. He did not quite understand how Harry could possibly pass the age line but he really had more serious problems.

The lake incident had been two weeks ago and Hermione did not talk to him. She did not even apologize for pushing him into the lake and the water had been freezing cold. Every time he saw her and wanted to talk to her she pretended not to see him. But most of the time he could not even try to talk to her because she kind of vanished when he saw her. He did not know how she vanished but she did and she was really good at it.

It was not really difficult to hide in the library with all these heavy and big bookshelves but one evening they met absolutely alone in the entrance hall and after two seconds she was gone. How did she do that? When he asked Scott for advice he just laughed. He just could not believe that that Cedric still wanted to go out with her. She almost broke his nose, squished him and pushed him into the lake. His friend really had to be in love. Just that in this case love did not only make him blind but also stupid.

Today was the trip to Hogsmeade and Cedric still could not find her in the long line with students who wanted to leave school. He had thought that she could not vanish here because she had to pass Filch to go to Hogsmeade.

"Let me make a wild guess, you're looking for a bookworm?" Scott asked him.

"I'm looking for her for two weeks. She cannot hide forever."

"Seriously, Ced, you could have every girl at this school but you want to go out with a bookworm who almost drowned you in the lake. I think when she landed on you two weeks ago she most have caused some brain damage. I'm telling you for your own good, apologies to Cho and go out with her again." Scott really got worried about Cedric. He looked like he had not slept for weeks and he was always looking for her, everywhere.

"Don't call her a bookworm, she is a great person. She is funny, smart, pretty,…"

"Clumsy."

"I think it's cute."

"Until she stabbes you in the back with a knife."

"come on, it wasn't that ad." His friend was really the master of exaggeration. Hermione was just a little clumsy because she was nervous around him. That would sure pass. Right?

"okay, I get it. You're desperately in love with her. What do you want to do? She's hiding from you." That was right and in Hogsmeade were more than enough places to hide. But there was one place every student had to go to sooner or later.

"Let's go to the Three Broomsticks."

"Ced, it's just ten o'clock, don't you think that's a little early?"

"No, I mean we go and stay there. Hermione has to go there." He was incredibly excited and convinced his plan would work out.

"Are you sure this isn't called stalking?"

"I think to stalk her I would have to find her first."

"Cedric, you're kidding, right? You don't want to spend the whole day at the same place waiting for a girl?"

"Yes, I do! Come on, we have to hurry."

"And now you're even getting pushy."

**Three hours later**

"Cedric, we're waiting for three hours already. Don't you think that waiting for some girl the whole day is really sad?" Like on a cue Hermione entered the pub and she kept the door opened a lot longer than she needed. Cedric thought she was keeping it open for Harry or Ron but neither of them entered. Then she sat down alone at a table for two. When she finished ordering something he decided to there. He also noticed that she was talking to herself silently.

"Hi Hermione, what a surprise to finally meet you." She blushed very hard.

"Hey Cedric. I thought you had your laugh on my expense already. Would you please leave now, I'm trying to work."

"No, I won't leave because we have to talk." He did not understand why she was staring at the empty chair the whole time.

"Do you think if me asking you out was just a joke I'd still try to talk to you?"

"I don't know. Probably you have a sick sense of humour?"

"No, I don't. I really like you and I really want to go out with you." Suddenly he heard somebody suppressing a laugh but he could not see who it was. Then Madam Rosmerta came with two butterbeers? Why two? Was she waiting for somebody? He did not care. Now he was here with her and he would not leave.

When he wanted to sit down on then everything happened very quickly.

Hermione said: "No, don't sit down." But it was too late already. Then the chair yelled "Ouch!" and Cedric sat in midair.

A/N: Hey, that was the next chapter. I hope you liked it because I had a little trouble with it. Who do you think is on the chair? Please review even if you're anonymous. There is that cute little button begging you to push it and leave a review. Thank to all who have reviewed. I love you all.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. Joanne K. Rowling is the lucky owner.

Not just handsome

Chapter 10

Hermione jumped up as quickly as she could and put some money on the table. Hopefully nobody noticed this scene. The last thing they needed was everybody to know that he was there.

"You want to talk? Fine, let's talk outside. Come on!" Then she stormed outside and Cedric had to run because she was so fast. For a bookworm she was really fast.

"I think you have some explaining to do, Hermione!" He told her.

"I know, but not here. Let's go to the Shrieking Shack." On their way to the shrieking shack they both did not say anything. At this point Cedric could really say that this was the worst day of his life.

He had been waiting for Hermione for Hermione for three hours and then he made a complete fool out of himself. What had been on this chair? Seriously the chair had talked. This girl was a lot of trouble but he was still convinced that she was worth it. When they reached the Shrieking Shack Cedric wanted answers.

"You've squished me, you almost broke my nose, You've pushed me into the lake and now I've sat down on a talking chair and who is laughing because I cannot see anybody?" Cedric added when he heard somebody laugh behind him but he could not see anybody.

"You almost broke his nose? That's hilarious!"

Then Cedric could see the dirt on the ground moving. Was it a poltergeist? He could have sworn that the voice he heard was a human voice. Now he realized that the voice sounded familiar to him.

"Harry, that is not funny. Somebody could have found out."

"That's Harry? Wow! How could you get invisible? Did you get one of these invisible books of invisibility? I ordered one but the man working there could not find them anymore. I was devastated." How come that boys always got as excited as little boys with ice-cream when it was about invisibility?

"No, no book." Harry did not consider telling Cedric about the invisibility cloak. Was he mental?

"What do you think you're doing?" She had to stop him from telling Cedric everything.

"I think I'm telling Cedric what happened . Hermione, don't you think he deserves it after everything that happened?"

"Yeah, Hermione, don't you think Cedric deserves it? All he has been through. All the physical damage you've caused and the psychological ones." Now he even spoke about himself in the third person and put on his cute little dog pout.

"What psychological damage?" Harry asked. Did she make him put on a dress? That was the worst thing he could think about. Though he did not know how she should have forced him to do that, she was a lot smaller than Cedric.

"I don't know if you have forgotten the most recent events but I sat on your lap. I don't think I'll ever be able to look into you face again." Now that he came to think about it he got incredibly embarrassed. He had sat on a boy's lap.

"Harry, now he knows you're here, why don't you take off the cloak?" The whole conversation did not make the slightest sense to her anymore. Was it such a big deal that Cedric had sat down on his lap? It was a lot more important to her if somebody noticed what happened. Even in wizarding world it was rather weird to sit in mid-air.

"I can't take it off." If it was even possible he was even more embarrassed than Cedric.

"Why not?" Hermione was already passed annoyed by now.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to look into his face again. He sat down on my lap and I heard everything about his feelings. Why don't you give him a chance?"

"Yeah, why don't you give him a chance?" Was the whole world against her? Even her best friend was on his side. He was supposed to be on her side. She seriously needed to find some girlfriends who were on her side.

"Harry, would you please stay out of this. And now take the stupid cloak off!"

That was the first time that Cedric realized what Hermione had said. "Hang on, you have an invisibility cloak?"

"Mmh, yes?"

"They're incredibly rare."

"It was my dad's. Dumbledore had it and gave it to me back in the first year."

"Amazing. Why did you put it on today?"

"Everybody was staring at me, even more than usual. I just could not stand it anymore. I want you to know that I didn't put my name into the Goblet of Fire. I didn't want to take away your glory."

"of course you didn't. But we have to find out who it was and we will!" Harry was very important to Hermione and Cedric saw and heard that. They were more like siblings than friends. She did not even mind standing at a public place talking to a person she could not see knowing that she had to look rather stupid. Wait a moment. They were the best friends ever, more like siblings than friends, right? They had been through a lot together and they share everything.

"That's how you vanished all the time, right? Why?"

A/N: I'm really sorry for taking this long to update but school is really mean. I have to write another big class tests next week. I hope you liked the chapter because I didn't. Congratulations to all who have guessed right about Harry on the chair, though Crookshanks was a nice guess, too. Cyber cookies for all of you. Review, even if you're anonymous, please???


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own any Harry Potter character. I wish I would though.

Not just handsome

Chapter 11

O no, he figured it out. Why did this boy have to be so smart? Hermione never thought that a boy could be handsome and smart. Actually it was difficult enough to find a boy with just one of these character traits. Just take a look at Harry and Ron. They are both not the smartest and they are rather average looking. Anyway, back to the current problem Cedric being too smart and Harry being too curious and annoying and Hermione being too embarrassed.

Why did she always have to deal with problems way beyond her maturity level?

And how on earth should she believe that Cedric Diggory liked her? She was a nothing and she almost killed him.

She had a lot of the theories why Cedric said that he really liked her.

It was a bet to make fun of her

He was crazy (in her opinion the most reasonable theory)

He suffered from amnesia and never looked into a mirror

"Hermione, I never thought that you would act so irresponsibly! Using magic just for a teenage issue. Do you know what she always tells me?" He asked Cedric. He just shook his head.

"Harry," he said in a really high pitched voice "You cannot solve your problems by using magic. You cannot just run away from them. You're such a hypocrite!" Cedric could not help but laugh about Harry's imitation. He had to be the worst girl in the entire world.

"Okay Harry, we all got it. I was so irresponsible and you're the hero. How about you leave me and Cedric alone to talk?" Finally she wanted to talk to him.

"You're really touchy today. But I'll leave the two of you alone. I just have to have a little chat with Cedric first." Hermione rolled her eyes and waited impatiently for him to start talking. He on the other hand did not want to discuss this with her around, so he signed her to leave.

"You cannot be serious!"

"Just for two minutes." Hermione groaned but left to take a look at the Shrieking Shack, though she knew exactly like it looked like, even inside.

Cedric was curious. He had no idea what Harry wanted to talk about.

"So, this will be a little awkward but I have to do it. If you hurt her or make her cry I will hurt you and I will make you cry. I don't know how, yet, but I will think of a way. She's like a sister to me and I don't want her to get hurt."

"Thank you, I guess. I will try to remember that." Cedric wanted to leave but Harry stopped him.

"Another thing. I think Ronald really likes her, so that could cause a problem later. I hope you know that I didn't put my name into the Goblet of Fire."

"I know, but even if you did I wouldn't mind. We should not fight each other, we're from the same school." He smiled and turned around to go to Hermione.

Hermione was really curious what they were talking abut. Were they talking about the tournament? No, Harry would have talked about that with her, too. They had to talk about her. Otherwise she could have stayed.

But she was interrupted in her train of thought by Cedric's arrival.

"Hey." And then he smiled and Hermione had the feeling that her knees got weak. _Stop it! You behave like a hormonal teenager._

"Hey, what have you been talking about?"

"Oh, just about the tournament." He was lying. She knew it, she could see it in those beautiful grey eyes. _Stop it! You're doing it again._

"So you wanted to talk to me?" She did? Right, she did.

"Why are you doing that?"

"I told you that before, I like you." By now he though that she did not want to understand him.

"No, you don't!"

"Yes, I do." He said like he really meant it, but he was just a really good actor.

"Why?"

"Because you are smart, funny, pretty and you defended me in front of your friends. I had set my eyes on you at the Quidditch Wold Cup already. Do you think I would stand all this pain you put me through without liking you?"

"For a bet of course." Now he got frustrated. This girl could be so stubborn. She did not believe him, then he would prove that he really liked her.

He put his hands on her hips and pulled her towards him. He caught her off guard so she crashed against his chest.

"What…" He bend down and pressed his lips against hers without saying a word.

It was Hermione's first kiss and she did not have the slightest idea what to do. But after a couple of seconds she stopped thinking and just felt. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

It was not like kissing Cho, it was a lot better.

Unfortunately Hermione started thinking again and realized what she did. She pushed against his chest as hard as she could until Cedric lost his Balance and fell down. Then she turned around quickly and ran away.

_Great, now my backside hurts, _Cedric thought frustrated.

A/N: I'm sorry it took me so long to update but I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter. Thank you for reviewing and I hope you review again. Even if you're anonymous. And please do not just read it and then think that somebody else will review because the next person thinks the same and then hardly anybody reviews. What do you think? Did I rush the kiss? But the story is still nowhere near over.


	12. Chapter 12

**Not just handsome**

**Chapter 12**

**A/N:**I'm really sorry that it took so long to write this, but I did not really know where this was going so I had to think it over. I know that that is not a good apology but it is all I got.

I hope you enjoy the chapter and I really hope that I can update soon.

Disclaimer: I most unfortunately do not own any of the Harry Potter characters.

Hermione ran as fast a she possibly could. She could hardly believe that just happened, maybe it had been just a dream. Though she was not able to breath she kept running. She was too scared to face Cedric.

She was so scared of facing him that she did not even consider that if he really was running after her he would have caught a long time ago. While Cedric was very athletic and not only fast on a broomstick, the only Olympic discipline Hermione succeeded in was to carry so many thick books about magic in her arms to the Gryffindor common room that she could not even see the way. That also was the reason why she hit a wall every now and then.

Breathing heavily she reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and said the password.

"Honey, I didn't understand you. Would you repeat it, please?"

"M...m...mer...mermaid." There was a terrible pain in her left side.

"Maybe you should take a little walk for oxygen outside and come back later."

"Would you just let me in!" She was very annoyed at this point and did not want to discuss her health with an overweight woman in a portrait.

"Well, somebody is in a bad mood today. Maybe you need some chocolate? Chocolate makes people happy. Or do you have to talk to somebody about your problems with Mr. Handsome? I would listen to you, my dear!" She did not look all that interesting but Violet had absolutely nothing to say so the Fat Lady would take what she could get.

"I don't need a therapist, I need an opened portrait hole!"

Finally the portrait swung aside and let her into the common room where Ginny already was waiting for her. _Doesn't she have a life, homework or friends? _

"Harry told what happened, but I want details. What did he say? What did he do? I'm so excited." Ginny had been talking so loudly that by now the whole Gryffindor common room was staring at her. That was really the very last thing she needed, everybody knowing what happened between her and Cedric. Or most importantly that there was something between her and Cedric.

Hermione saw Harry and Ron sitting by the fire. Ron was pouting and Harry grinning. _At least my misery made them sit together. It's a miracle. _

"Tell me, tell me!" The colour of Ginny's cheeks matched her ginger hair. Actually she looked as if she was a little drunk.

"Shush! I don't want all of them to know. Let's go to my dormitory. I hope the others are not there, yet."

Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were the most curious people at Hogwarts. The Weasley twins might know every single secret exit, but these two girls knew who had been with whom in the past, who is with whom in the present and who could be an item in the future.

She took Ginny by one arm and pulled her upstairs. Luckily the dormitory was empty but for Crookshanks who was lying on Hermione's bed. He hoped that one of the girls would snuggle him, bur Ginny just threw him off the bed when she plopped down on it.

"Would you tell me what happened already? I'm dying to know what happened. I have six brothers so I live through your finally active love life. Cedric would be a great first boyfriend for both of us."

_Okay, the point of no return, I have to...what?_ "What are you talking about?"

"Hey, I have six brothers and three of them are here. I bet I cannot have a boyfriend until my seventh year when Ronniekins has finally left."

Hermione did anything but understand this but decided not to ask any further questions. Luckily that was not her problem.

"Anyway, what did Harry tell you?"

"He told me that you and Cedric made out."

"What?! He only kissed me, nobody made out." Her cheeks were flushed. Why did he say that?

"Oh my god, he kissed you, I knew it!"

"Wait a second, you said that Harry has told you that."

"No, he wouldn't tell me anything so I had to think of something. He was babbling something stupid about privacy and it being none of my business. Crap! That was pretty smart, right?"

It was unbelievable, she fell for the eldest trick ever.

"What was it like?"

"What?"

"The kiss. Who started it? I bet it was him. Was it good? I bet it was. I mean it was Cedric Diggory and that boy succeeds in everything."

"I don't know, my mind is a total blank right know." She sat down on her bed as well.

"Wow, it was so good that you don't remember. What will you do next? Are you guys dating?"

"Nothing will happen. I will just ignore what happened."

"You cannot just ignore him!"

"Not ignore what?"

"The kiss."

"What kiss? I really don't know what you're talking about. Could you hand Hogwarts- A History over? I wanted to do a little research on the tournament."

"Oh, you're so frustrating. Girls would kill to be in your position and you **want to ignore** that the **most handsome boy on the planet **kissed you."

"He is not just handsome, you know, he is smart, too." Hermione was reading because for her the case was closed.

"Then he is the perfect match."

"Yes, he is the perfect match for a girl like Cho Chang, but not for me."

So she started ignoring him again.

**A/N: **What do you think about it? Review please and tell me what you think. I really appreciate all reviews and thank all people who reviewed for this story and put on your alert lists. You guys are awesome.


	13. Chapter 13

**Not just handsome**

Disclaimer: Don't own any characters of Harry Potter, and I hate it.

**Chapter 13**

The first task of the Triwizard tournament was over and Christmas was coming up. Cedric should have been thinking about the golden egg which made these horrific noises. He should find a way to understand the message so he would know what expected him in the second task, but he could not do it. He kept thinking about Hermione. Despite the worry, the anxiety and the insecureness he could only think of her.

She ignored him again since they had kissed. He had tried to talk to her multiple times.

He tried in the great hall, by the lake (even though he knew he might take a dive into it in winter), in the library and in the hallways. He sent her hundreds of owls and a howler which sung an apologetic song. She did not talk to him, open the letters or listen to the howler, but just kept reading her book. He was desperate because he could not ask her to the Yule ball. Not that he had not tried, she just ignored him and walked away. Often she also vanished into a girls' bathroom. It was so pathetic how long he waited for her in front of one last week. Moaning Myrtle started hitting on him and told him that he could move into her toilet if he died in the cause of the tournament.

"Hey mate. How is it going with Granger?" Scott asked Cedric while taking a seat at the Hufflepuff table in the great hall.

"Terrible. She still ignores me."

"It could be worse."

"In which way could it possibly be worse than it is right now?"

"She does not physically hurt you anymore? Are you sure that you want to be in a relationship with a person who might accidentally push you off a cliff?"

"You should be careful that I don't push you off a cliff." Cedric answered grumpily.

Scott lifted both of his hands above his head. "I'm just concerned about your health, man. I'm sorry, but you have to face it, that girl is dangerous. Her name should be danger."

"Scott, you're really, really not helping at all. I need an idea."

"I might have an idea." A female voice said behind Cedric and he wanted to turn around and blow off some steam when he realized who it was. It was a red haired girl whom he had seen with Hermione many times. She had to be a Weasley.

"And who exactly are you?"

"I'm Ginny Weasley. Could you scoot over a bit?" She just sat down between Cedric and Scott at the Hufflepuff table. Most students started staring at her, but she did not care.

"Why do you want to help me, Ginny Weasley? Do I look that pathetic?"

"No, you don't look pathetic. Hermione is just very, very stubborn and so I thought you might need some help."

"I don't know how you could help him, he has tried everything. My name is Scott, by the way. Do you want to go to the Yule ball with me?" Cedric cocked an eyebrow. He chose this of all moments to hit on a girl.

"I have six brothers and two of them are the Weasley twins. Does your offer still stand?"

"Now that you mention the twins, I'd rather not have trouble with them."

"Yeah, I thought so. I'm going with Neville Longbottom anyway."

"Hey, what about me? I'm still here."

"Oh, right. You've really tried a lot, but for some reason she thinks that you're just playing with her."

"Why should I do that?"

"How about you once think it over seriously? She is not the prettiest girl and not incredibly popular while you are the most popular boy at Hogwarts."

For some reason that made sense. "What do you think I should do? She ignores my letters, my howler and every attempt of talking to her."

Ginny bit her lip. "Well, you can't ask her to the Yule ball because she's going with someone else already."

"Has Weasley finally asked her? It was about time, everybody saw that coming." Cedric glared at Scott.

"No, Ron still hasn't and won't. I don't know why my brother is so stupid and slow. Anyway, Viktor Krum asked her in the library last week."

"Krum?! That's why he was at the library that often. Great, just great! How can I compete with a professional quidditch player?" Now he was even more desperate than he had been before and mad. Why did she want to go out with him, but not with Cedric? He at least meant it seriously with her and did not just want to fool around with her like Krum.

"Well, I have an idea. On Christmas morning we all go outside and have a snowball fight. Hermione usually just sits there and watches us or she reads a book."

"And?"

"Well, a snowball could "accidentally" hit her and she would have to be taken to the hospital wing. Then you could have a little chat with her when we "surprisingly" meet you there because you need a flu potion. She can't make a scene in front of patients." Ginny looked really pleased with herself as if she had been thinking about this plan for a long time.

"This might work."

"Hey, I could try to get Madam Pomfrey out of the hospital wing to buy you some time, Ced."

"That would be even better."

"Mr. Diggory?" When Cedric turned around he saw Prof. Moody. He had not heard him approach and so he asked himself what he heard of this conversation.

"Yes, Professor?"

"Can I have a word with you in my office?" He asked that question in a tone which did not take no for an answer.

A/N: Hey, I really tried to update quickly. Thanks for the reviews though I am a little disappointed. About fifty people read the last chapter but hardly anybody reviewed. That makes me really sad, but I know that I'm not the only one who is frustrated by that.

I'm not sure if a should write a scene between Cedric and Myrtle in the prefect bathroom. What do you think? I really appreciate your opinion.


	14. Chapter 14

**Not Just Handsome**

**A/N**: I'm really grateful when you read my story but I would really like to get some reviews. More than 100 people read the last two chapters and I got 2 reviews. I think that is a little sad. If you aren't interested in this story then I will just stop. I have them in a binder, I don't have to sit for more than an hour at the computer to type them for myself. This was just something I felt like saying. Thanks to the people (fire dragonheart and Hrist Valkyrie) who reviewed. You have no idea how happy that made me.

Oh, and I changed my name to Eunomia, which I think is a lot better than the last one, which I only took because I could not think of something else.

Please review if you like the story and want to keep reading it, otherwise I will just stop.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, otherwise I would not be writing it here, but publish it and make a whole lot of money.

**Chapter 14**

**In the hospital wing**

The hospital was almost empty when Cedric entered it. Only Neville Longbottom was lying passed out on one bed. Cedric heard that he forgot about a trick stair again and stepped into it. The step broke and he got stuck. When one boy tried to help him out he fell off balance and fell down the whole staircase. He was feeling really sorry for Neville, because he seemed to be a nice boy.

Today was the day. It was the day of the big plan. He hoped very much that it would finally work. And Viktor Krum better kept his hands off her tonight.

Madam Pomfrey was sitting at her desk.

"Mr. Diggory, can I help you?"

"Yes Madam, I'm feeling a little fluish today and I was hoping that I could get a flu potion."

"Of course, let me just fetch it. It only takes a second."

Before she could turn around to fetch the potion Scott stormed into the hospital wing. "Madam, a girl fainted in the library:"

"Great, I just waited for that to happen since Krum arrived. These hormonal teenagers! He is not that good-looking. Mr. Diggory, I fear you have to wait for the flu potion."

"Oh, that's no problem." Madam Pomfrey and Scott already hurried towards the library.

The first step of the plan was finished.

**In the grounds**

The twins Fred and George, Ginny, Ron and Harry were having a snowball fight while Hermione was reading a book about transfiguration. All of the sudden one snowball missed her face by an inch, so it had been pretty close. Ginny rushed over quickly.

"I'm so sorry. Are you okay? Are you bleeding? We should go and see Madam Pomfrey. I bet she has a potion against the pain."

"Ginny, the snowball missed me. I'm perfectly fine."

"I must have hit you so hard that you don't even remember that it happened. Come on, we should go!" And so Ginny dragged her to the hospital wing.

**In the hospital wing **

Cedric was sitting on one of the beds waiting for Hermione to come. He was more than just a little nervous and hoped that she would at least listen to him. Suddenly he heard female voices. One was definitely Hermione's angry voice.

"Ginny, I'm okay. I don't have to see Madam Pomfrey. You and I both know that you didn't hit me that snowball. What do you want from me? Ginny, stop! I don't want to...oh no." She said when say entered the room and she saw Cedric on the bed.

"I knew that something was wrong. I knew it. Let me go." Ginny vanished through the door and closed it behind her quickly. Hermione tried to open the door and pulled hard but Ginny locked it from the outside.

"Hermione, I won't let you out until you talked to him. Give him a chance."

"You cannot lock that door forever!"

"Just listen to him!"

"Yes, I think you should listen to him, too."

"Why do you talk about yourself in the third person?"

"Is that what you want to talk about?"

"Actually, I don't want to talk at all."

"Good, then take a seat and listen to me." Cedric pushed Hermione towards one bed so she would fall on to it. "I will talk and you won't interrupt me. I know we've tried this already and it always ended up with you running away. But I won't give up. Do you know why I won't give up?" She shook her head. "Because I like you. I like you a whole lot and I liked you since the quidditch world cup already. But how exactly could I try to talk to you with my dad, all the Weasleys and Harry around?" Again she shook her head like she did not know.

"See, it's hard to ask a girl out with a thousand of people around and I did not even know if you liked me at all. When you defended me in front of your friends, I thought I might have a chance. Every time I come closer to you, you back away. We go one step forwards and we take three steps back. I'm sick of it."

"Well, then stop!"

"It's hard to ignore your feelings. I like you a lot and I want to give this a try. If you tell me now into my face that you don't like me at all, then I will drop it. I will never talk about again. What do you feel, Hermione?"

She was thinking about what to say. _Lie, lie. He said the he'll go away. Just lie about it and it's over._ She opened her mouth and wanted to lie, but she said this: "I like you, too." _Oh, no_.

He smiled at her. "Then what is the problem?"

"I don't know, I really don't know. I don't want to have these feelings for you. You're smart and handsome and perfect and I'm me. That doesn't work. Why don't you get it?"

"You really have some serious complexes. You're pretty, smart and loyal. You're more than I am asking for."

"No, it does not work." Then she did the most unexpected thing, she kissed him on the lips passionately with tears in her eyes which could feel on his face and turned around and left the room. Ginny stood there with her mouth open, not sure if she should run after her or just cry because Hermione was so stubborn.

"Well, this didn't work."

Cedric caught himself again. "No, I think we made progress. Now I just have to be persistent and convince her that I'm serious and that this could work."

"Oh, and I figure that you have a plan, too?"

"In fact, I do." He left the hospital wing with a big smile on his face ignoring Madam Pomfrey completely.

"Mr. Diggory? Mr. Diggory, what about the potion? What is wrong today? Mr. Longbottom, what do you think you're doing on the ground? This day is simply terrible."

A/N: Did you like it? Do you want me to continue? Make me happy and review, please.


	15. Chapter 15

**Not just Handsome**

**Chapter 15**

**Disclaimer**: I most unfortunately do not own any of the Harry Potter characters.

It was the night of the Yule Ball and Hermione was so horribly nervous about it. She felt anything but comfortable in her dressing robes because she tripped over them every second step. She had so much product in her hair that it felt solid but for the first time in her life her hair looked somewhat presentable.

The only thing she felt good about tonight was Cedric. Despite what happened today she was certain that he would finally give up and start a perfect relationship with the perfect Cho Chang. I another 4 years they would have a perfect wedding and another 9 months later two perfect twin, a boy and a girl. Their children would of course succeed in everything. They would be perfect flyers and perfect students. They would look as perfectly handsome as there father and as perfectly polite as there mother. All this perfection just made her sick.

Was she jealous of Cho? No, that could not be. She was not the jealous type and even though she did like him, she knew that it would never work.

She took one last breath and stepped through the portrait hole. Luckily the common room had been almost empty when she left it. If anybody had made a comment about her looks tonight, she would have walked straight back into her dormitory. She felt insecure enough about her looks and she did not need that.

"Honey, you look really pretty." Hermione turned around to see who said that. It was of course the Fat Lady.

"Really? I'm not sure. Isn't it a little too much?" _Great, I'm trying to get fashion tips from a talking portrait. I'm officially desperate and crazy. What is wrong with me lately? I never would have done that before._

"I know that none of you children takes me seriously but when I was still alive I have made experience like you have. The girl with the bushy hair is the worst. She thinks that I'm stupid. You look good and your date is a lucky boy." Then the Fat Lady winked. Hermione had never seen her wink before.

"Thank you. By the way, I'm the girl with the bushy hair."

"Well, you've cleaned up nicely. It was about time." _Well that was nice. I still think she's not the smartest._

"Thanks, I guess." She turned around.

"Have a good night and don't do anything that I wouldn't do. If I just could be her age again. Oh, and alive."

Unlike the common room the entrance hall was very crowded and everybody stared at her. She could hear people whisper: "Is that Hermione Granger? What happened with her hair?" and "There is something different with her teeth!".

She was about to leave when she saw Viktor walking towards her. Now there was no way she could run away and hide.

"Good night, Hermioninny. You look beautiful." He took her hand and kissed it. Nobody had ever called her beautiful. Smart, witty, and ambitious on various occasions, but beautiful had never been mentioned. And nobody had ever kissed her hand. _Do people still do that? Well, maybe in Bulgaria it's more common then here._

"Good night. Thank you. Do you know when we will enter the great hall?" She could feel the glances burning in her neck but she tried to be as relaxed as possible and make communication. But she just did not know what to talk about with an international quidditch player.

Then she saw Cedric coming down the stairs with a perfect looking Cho Chang.

They stopped about five feet away from them and were engaged in a quidditch discussion. How could people be so obsessed with a sport? He kept throwing glances at Hermione all the time.

"Professor Karkaroff said that one of your teachers would tell us."

"Would tell us what?" She did not know what he was talking about. She caught Cedric smiling. What was he smiling about? The fact that she was too busy thinking about him to listen to Viktor? Hopefully he did not realize that.

"A teacher will tell us when we have to enter the great hall." He looked confused. Probably no other person had ever dared not to pay attention to Viktor Krum, when he was talking.

"Oh, right. There is Prof. McGonagall." Hermione tried to change the topic quickly. It had never happened before that she did not listen to the person she was talking to. That was very impolite. She had to focus on Viktor and forget Cedric now.

"Oh, good, Miss Granger your here already. Mr Krum and Miss Granger, would you please take your place in front of the door to the great hall? Mr Diggory, you and Ms Chang please go after Mr Krum and Ms Granger. Where is Potter?" She hurried away looking for Harry.

Viktor offered her his arm and Hermione took it. She was not exactly sure but she thought that she saw Cedric flinch.

**A/N**: I'm sorry it took me so long to update but I had a lot of tests to write. Thank you for reviewing and I hope you review again. Even if you're anonymous. Do you want to know what will happen at the Yule Ball? Then review and let me know. I love reviews. Please???


	16. Chapter 16

**Not just Handsome **

**Chapter 16**

**Disclaimer**: I do notown Harry Potter. J K Rowling is the genius inventing this amazing world.

When the giant doors of the great hall opened Hermione could hardly believe what she saw. Everything was beautifully decorated and it looked as if she was walking through a winter wonderland. There were several huge Christmas trees and hundreds of ice sculptures looking like mermaids, hippogriffs and other mythical creatures.

It was simply stunning and perfect. It was exactly how she imagined it to look like and yet in some ways it even exceeded her expectations. Hogwarts had always been beautifully decorated for Christmas but this was breathtaking.

This should be the most important night of her life, this was how the other girls put it for weeks now, but something just did not feel right. She was here with the most famous and best quidditch player on the planet, or at least was this the impression she got from Ron who worshipped the ground he walked on, but she could not enjoy it because she was scared.

What if they had nothing to talk about? She was not interested in any kind of sport and he was a professional quidditch player. That was not exactly the perfect combination and in this very moment she regretted deeply to have ever accepted his invitation. Neville would have been the more reasonable choice.

All students were dressed in beautiful dressing robes apart from Ron. His dressing robes were really old fashioned but he still looked cute in them. He reminded her slightly of her first grade teacher, she loved to wear maroon and quillings.

She had been distracted for a moment from her fear of tonight, but when she saw their astonished faces it came back to her.

She was nervous again. On the one hand she wanted to make a good impression on Viktor but on the other hand she did have the tendency of making a fool out of herself in situations which included boys and a lot staring people, among them an angry looking Ron Weasley.

He could nit be mad at her, could he? She had every right to be mad at him for asking her out as a last resort. Maybe it was because of his dress robes.

When Viktor took her arm to lead her through the great hall she could have sworn, that she saw Cedric flinch out of the corner of her eyes. He was driving her crazy ever since the "the-brightest-witch-of-her-time-made-a-complete-idiot-of-herself-incident" but today she was going to forget him. Finally it was over.

Suddenly Prof. McGonagall gave them a sign to cross the hall, it was a miracle that she did not trip when Viktor started walking.

_Well, it was my own fault because I didn't pay attention. Something was wrong with me today or rather lately. This has to stop._

She stopped thinking about anything but how to put one foot in front of the other and to look like she did not have to think about it at all. Apparently being a model had to be a lot harder, than she had always thought it was.

Hermione sighed in relief when they finally reached the table. She mastered the first challenge and there were only a few more to come. Viktor behaved like a gentleman and pulled her chair out so she could sit down. Unfortunately Cedric sat down right in front of her, but she would just ignore him.

Harry, who sat next to her, completely forgot to pull Parvati's chair out. He was really absolutely helpless without her. Boys!

Luckily the dinner passed uneventfully. She ordered her dinner and tried to teach Viktor her name. Then they talked about Bulgaria and the plates were magically removed from the table.

Now the champions had to open the dance. Surprisingly Viktor was a very good dancer, something you could say about Harry who was absolutely helpless and led by his partner, Parvati.

As soon as the slow the slow music stopped they left the dance floor. Hermione kept dancing for a few more songs until she was too hot and decided to find Harry and Ron while Viktor got them something to drink.

She found them sitting at some table. Padma and Parvati had already left them and were flirting with some other boys.

"Hey, are you having fun?", she sat down and asked them.

Harry opened his mouth to answer but Ron did instead. "No, but you seem to have a lot of fun with Vicky."

"Vicky?"

"Yes, or aren't you allowed to call him Vicky until you helped with the golden egg?"

"Why should I help him with the second task of then tournament? I want Harry to win." Now she was getting mad. Was he implying that Viktor had just asked her to the ball so she would help him with the egg?

"Really, you want him to win? You don't seem to, you're betraying your friend by helping Vicky."

"I did not help him and I would not help him. Stop calling him Vicky!"

"But he wants you to help him." Harry did not say anything at all but just kept looking from one to the other.

"We didn't even talk about the tournament for one single second. And Harry does not feel betrayed."

"Yes, he does."

"No, I don't:"

"Look what you've done, Hermione. Now he is confused and he does not know what he is talking about."

"No, Ron, Harry does not mind me being here with Viktor. And do you know what you could have done? You could have asked me to go with you before Viktor did and not as a last resort." And with that Hermione stormed out of the great hall into the garden.

A/N: I'm sorry for taking so long to update but I had a lot of trouble with this chapter. Please review.


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